Tag Archives: hemp seeds

Looking for a sure-to-win way of getting more greens into your family’s diet? Well, try these kale chips! This crunchy and savoury snack conquers any mean craving for a potato chip. Guaranteed.

Our family has been making these kale chips for the past few years now. So addictive. Seriously. Just try stopping at one. And, just to brag a little, these chips have been kid-approved by all the little people who have ventured through our house. 🙂

You’ll find this recipe in Brendan Brazier’s book Whole Foods to Thrive: Nutrient-Dense, Plant-Based Recipes for Peak Health. Another kale favourite of mine from the same book is Brendan’s Quick Kale and Avocado Salad.

If you don’t own the book, you’ll find the recipe here. We make our chips in my Excalibur dehydrator, but the oven works just as well. The recipe is perfect. In my last batch (pictured above), I added a small handful of hemp seeds – just to kick this nutrient-dense snack up a notch. I also doubled the recipe.

Tried another kale chip recipe that you love? There really are some great recipes out there. Care to share your favourite? We have a wonderful supply of organic and local kale in our stores right now. I’m wanting to make me some more!

Rich in fiber, protein and essential fats, this flatbread is a good choice for individuals wishing to boost their immune system and reduce inflammation in the body. Spread thinly on a teflex sheet or lined baking sheet, this recipe makes an absolute delicious light cracker for soups. As smaller pieces, it makes a savoury and crunchy topping for salads.

I served this flatbread earlier this week with my Roasted Garlic, Cauliflower and Celeriac Soup . The following day, I offered it to my kids with a heaping spread of sacha inchi butter as an after school snack. They absolutely loved it! They said it tastes a lot like peanut butter. 🙂 Sacha inchi seeds are a wonderful nut alternative.

In a food processor, blend the tomato, raisins, and miso paste until smooth. Add the onion, garlic, and flaxseed powder and blend again to a smooth consistency. Mix in the hemp seeds and chia seeds by hand.

I used my dehydrator to dry the bread, but you can certainly use an oven. Spread the mixture on a lined baking sheet and bake for approximately 2 hours at 250 degrees F. Be sure to flip the bread over after one hour to allow for even cooking. When the edges begin to brown, your bread is done. Turn the oven off and leave the bread inside for another 30 minutes. Break into pieces.

I prefer to use my Excalibur dehydrator. I spread the mixture onto 2 teflex sheets and set the temperature to 112 degrees F for an optimal raw bread. Cooking food at such a low temperature helps to maintain the food’s enzymes and nutrients. This eases digestion which in turn helps preserve energy. (Ever feel like taking a nap after a heavy meal?). I allowed the bread to dry in my dehydrator for 8 hours (overnight). In the morning, I flipped the bread over and continued to dehydrate it for another hour and a half. I cut my cracker on a cutting board into even (well almost even) rectangular pieces.

This flatbread or cracker satisfies the carb craving without the guilt. Most packaged, store bought crackers are terribly high in fat, sodium, refined sugars and refined carbohydrates, even if the outside of the package tells you otherwise! 😉

SACHA INCHI BUTTER

1 cup sacha inchi seeds

2 tsp hemp oil

dash of seed salt

Process all the ingredients together in a food processor. (My kids prefer the seeds to be a little crunchy. This takes only a couple of minutes of blending).

I always chuckle when I toss this knobby, slightly hairy, root vegetable into my grocery cart. I just love the reaction I get when I place it on the cashier’s belt while waiting in line at the check-out.

Celery root, also known as celeriac, is one ugly looking vegetable. But don’t judge it by its cover! It’s flavour is unique – a taste of celery and parsley combined. With the texture of a turnip, celery root can be enjoyed in soups or stews. But, our favourite way of eating this highly nutritious vegetable is raw.

Traditionally, our family has eaten celery root grated and tossed with yogurt and sour cream. In a mean craving for the same delicious salad, I decided to replicate an old family recipe by replacing the dairy with my own cashew cream. The result was heavenly! Just like Oma’s!

CREAMY (NO DAIRY) CELERY ROOT SALAD

dressing:

1/2 cup raw cashews (soak in water in fridge overnight, then drain and rinse well)

1/2 cup water

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup lemon juice (I used Santa Cruz organic lemon juice)

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

freshly ground pepper

Puree cashews, water and sea salt in a food processor. Add remaining ingredients and process until dressing is smooth. Transfer dressing to a large glass bowl.

This recipe comes from one of my favourite vegan cookbooks and resource, “Whole Foods to Thrive: Nutrient-Dense, Plant-Based Recipes for Peak Health” by Brendan Brazier. Brendan, a plant-based nutrition expert, is the formulator of Vega products and a professional triathlete. I have met him twice and each time I am clearly “star struck”.

On with the recipe…..

Turmeric, ginger, coriander and cumin spices give this dish a very distinct flavour. These “wonder” spices are high in antioxidants, ease digestion and help tame inflammation – beneficial for those suffering from arthritis, Chron’s, IBS and other inflammatory conditions.

I love the amount of protein in these guys. This recipe contains 1 ¼ cups cooked red lentils which is over 18 grams of protein. Also, the hemp seeds in this recipe, albeit only 3 tablespoons, add roughly an additional 20 grams! If you ate all of these patties at once, and believe me you’ll be tempted to do so, you would be getting a good portion of your daily protein requirement.

These patties are a wonderful make ahead meal and they are super easy to prepare. If I do have extra time, I like to make smaller patties and place some in the freezer for those crazy, busy nights. They travel well in small containers and can be eaten as finger food – perfect when eating out for lunch or dinner (at the skating rink on most nights, in our case). Hope you enjoy this uber-nutritious dish!

INDIAN-SPICED LENTIL HEMP PATTIES

2-3 tbsp. coconut oil*, for frying

1 cup diced yellow onion,

1 cup diced red pepper*

1 celery stalk, minced

6 medium cloves garlic, minced

¼ tsp ginger powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin powder

½ tsp turmeric

½ cup hemp seeds

3 tbsp ground flaxseeds

1 ¼ cups cooked red lentils

½ tsp sea salt, or to taste

Melt the coconut oil over medium heat and saute the onion, celery, and red pepper until the vegetables are soft. Add the garlic and saute for about 1 more minute. Remove vegetables from the heat and let cool . Scoop mixture into a food processor or large mixing bowl.

Add the remaining ingredients to the vegetable mixture. Pulse mixture a few times in a food processor or, if you do not have a food processor, mash some lentils with a fork. (Lentils that are well mashed make it easier to form patties). Adjust salt as needed. Hand shape mixture into patties of desired size.

Heat a small amount of coconut oil in a large frying pan over low heat. Cook patties until brown on both sides.

*Coconut oil, made from the fat found in the meat of a coconut, is one of the best oils for frying. Unlike other oils, coconut oil does not lose its antioxidant benefits or nutritional value when heated. I love the flavour that it adds to dishes – a little nutty, a little like coconut. When shopping for coconut oil, choose virgin oil over refined. Virgin oil means that the fat was not extracted using chemicals.

*Red peppers, as well as other nightshade vegetables, have been known to aggravate inflammation in the body. It may be wise to eliminate this vegetable from the patties, if one suffers from any inflammatory conditions.

I have to share this one! Here I am chatting with Brendan Brazier at “The Seed: A Vegan Experience” in New York City, June 2012.